About Us

Tom Culpepper

Managing Attorney

Tom graduated from The University of Dayton School of Law, and spent 5 years as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney prosecuting juvenile crimes, obtaining child support for minors, or protecting children from abusive and neglectful parents. This additional experience moved him to found Culpepper Law to meet the needs of growing families.

When not practicing law, Tom spends time with his most valuable assets—wife Wendi, and his three children Abigail, Grace, and Joshua--performing tasks such as helping teenagers learn to drive, washing dishes and cleaning house, to ensuring small boys make their beds and learn to mow the lawn.

Patricia Niswonger

Ohio State Bar Association Certified Paralegal

Patty is our newest addition to the office in 2020, but she is not new to estate planning. Originally from the Centerville area, Patty has worked for some of the strongest estate planning firms in the Dayton area over the last 15 years, and we are thrilled that she has joined our team! She is a paralegal member of the Ohio State Bar Association.

Our clients will recognize not only her legal expertise, but also the excellence with which she applies herself. Patty drafts estate planning documents and assists clients with the transfer of assets. Patty takes great pleasure in helping clients plan for their families and future. We are excited for you to meet her, and know that she will quickly earn your trust. She has been married to Mike for 25 years, loves music and cooking and is deeply devoted to her 4 legged loves.

Erica Hayes

Client Services Director

Erica is the bright voice you'll hear when you call to schedule an appointment. She came to us with 20+ years of administrative experience and has put it all to work for the office. She is married with 2 (nearly) grown children and is very involved in serving the community when she is not serving our clients.

Erica loves people and has made our office brighter from the first day she arrived. She works tirelessly for our clients and always with a smile on her face. In addition, she is a Notary Public and assists with the signing of many of our legal documents.

We look forward to you meeting her! 

Mark Shaver

Attorney of Counsel

Mark joins us in 2018 and brings great depth to our practice with his vast experience in mediation in the Dayton area. Mark has over twenty years of experience in general civil litigation and alternative dispute resolution.

He believes that lawyers should be problem solvers who have outstanding communication skills and a pragmatic perspective of the law. These attributes are crucial to effectively representing and advocating for clients. In addition to his work at Culpepper Law, Mark serves as the Court Mediator for the General Division of the Greene County Common Pleas Court, where he’s worked since 2000.

He is an accomplished mediator who has facilitated thousands of settlements in civil cases, including personal injury and wrongful death, consumer transactions, business disputes, workers’ compensation, real estate and foreclosure, probate, and employment discrimination.